Locking clip



March 10, 1959 G. PKZIEHMER, JVR

LOCKING CLIP Filed July s. 1953 VINVENTOR. GEORGE P. ZIEHMER JR.

' BY m/aw;

4% ATTORNEYS L KE G CL George P. Ziehmer, Jn, New York, 'N. Y., .asslgnor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y a corporation of New Jersey Application July 8 1952 Serial No. 366,737

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) The present invention relates to multiple container units, and has particularreference to a simple clip for locking together a multiplicity of cans arranged side-byside to create a rigid merchandisingpackage.

In order to enable consumers to conveniently purchase larger quantities of canned commodities such as beer or the like, merchandisers are resorting more and more to the sales appeal of an attractive, easily carried, multiple-container package in which :a plurality of vcans are held together by means of a special band, wrapper or carrier. means be inexpensive lest .the merchandising benefitsof the package be nullified.

'The instant invention furnishes an improvement in this .type of packaging by providing a .simply constructed, inexpensive'clip adapted .to be secured to the projecting end seams of a group of juxtapositioned cans to form an attractive, compact unitary package in which substantially all of the labeled side walls of the cans remain exposed to the view of the purchaser to facilitate identification of the particular product being ofiered.

An object of the invention is to provide such a clip so designed that it can either be clinched onto the end seams of the cans or snapped into position thereover, the clip being formed preferably of light gauge sheet metal although other suitable materials can also be employed, if necessary or desirable.

A further object is the provision of such a clip which is so constructed that a comparatively large number of cans can be secured together by means of a relatively few clips.

A still further object is to provide a locking clip having lugs adapted to grip the projecting end seams of a group of cans arranged in juxtaposition with their end seams in mutual contact, the clip lugs being disposed on sections of the seams substantially midway between the points where the seams contact each other in order to add to the stability of the multiple container unit by distributing the strains to which the unit is subjected.

Yet another object is the provision of such a clip having a plug-like body which acts as a spacer between the cans to help maintain the cans in their proper positions in the unit.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multiple container unit formed from a plurality of individual cans secured together by means of clips embodying the principles of the instant invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 2--2 in Fig. 1, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clip as it appears It .is especially important that the binding htates Patent 0.:

2,876,896 Pa e ed .Mar- 1. 0, 113519 before the lugs are bent into gripping position on'the'end seams of the cans; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a clip showing its final shape after it has been applied to the cans.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 1 illustrates a multiple container unit 10 comprisinga group of six individual cans 11 arranged in juxtaposition to form two rows composed of three cans each. Each can 11 includes a tubular body wall 12, which preferably is cylindrical in shape andis imprinted with or otherwise carries an identifying label (not shown), and -a pair of upper and lower end walls 13 which are joined to the body wall 12 by means of end seams 14, preferably of the conventional double seam type. As seen in 'Fig. 11 the end seams 14 of the cans, which project axially 'beyond'the end walls 13 and radially beyond the body walls '12, are in mutual tap gential contact at points'iS so that each can contacts at least two other cans. The resultant formation contains two interior open-ended spaces 16 which extend parallel to the axes of the cans.

The cans 11 are securely locked together by means of clips 18 which embody the principles of the instant invention and are preferably made of thin gauge sheet metal. These clips 18 tightly fasten onto both the upper and lower end seams 14 in opposing relationship-as best seen in Fig. 2, to hold the individual cans against each other and thus create the rigid unit 10 which is visually attractive and can conveniently be handled by the consumer. A portion of Fig. 1 is broken awaytoclearly show one of the clips 18th the bottom of the unit ":10.

Each clip "18 includesa .plugeli'keibodyor spacerme gn ber 20 which sets into'tone @end ;.c f Ionetqf :thespaces 3 4.6 between the individual cans 11. The body 20 includes an annular side or spacing wall 22 which engages against the outermost layers of the end seams 14 and assists in maintaining the shape of the unit 10 by preventing movement of the cans into the space 16. The spacing wall 22 is preferably flared or tapered in order to permit stacking of the clips prior to their application to the cans and to make it easier to insert the clips into the spaces 16. At its narrow end, the annular spacing wall 22 merges into a hat panel 24, while at its wide end it merges into a flat, narrow rim or lip 26 which rests upon the outer ends of the end seams 14.

A plurality of outer lugs 28 extend from the rim 26 and engage flatly against the innermost layers of the end seams 14 substantially midway between the points of contact 15 to maintain a pressure against the cans which keeps them in contact with each other and with the clip side wall 22.

In order to prevent axial movement of the cans 11, a plurality of stilf inner lugs 30 corresponding in number and disposed in opposition to the outer lugs 28, are formed from the material of the spacing wall 22 of the clip body 20, being defined by substantially U-shaped cuts 32. The unsevered base portions 34 of these inner lugs 30 are disposed adjacent the narrow end of the spacing wall 22 and the lugs 30 project angularly therefrom and engage beneath the inner ends of the end seams 14.

The clips 18 are preferably applied while the cans are held within a forming mould. The clips 18, which, prior to application are shaped as shown in Fig. 3, are inserted into the open spaces 16 and the lugs 28, 30 bent to the positions illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The clips may be applied first to one side of the unit and then to the other, or they may be applied simultaneously to both sides.

If the material used to make the clips is resilient, they may be preformed to their final shape, as seen in Fig. 4,

and then merely pressed into position on the cans. The resiliency of the metal permits the inner lugs 30 to spring inwardly and then snap outwardly into locking position beneath the end seams.

, It can be seen from Fig. 1 that only four clips are required to hold the six cans together and that only two clips would be required to form a unit composed of four cans. It will be obvious that clips made according to the present invention can be utilized to locktogether any multiple number of cans arranged in a wide variety of patterns, although best results are obtainable when the cans are arranged so that each can contacts at least two others. The reason for this is that the cans when so arranged tend to lock themselves in place and thus augment the holding action of the clips.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

In a package comprising at least three cans arranged vertically and in juxtaposition with the projecting end seams at both ends of each can in abutment with corre sponding end seams of the other juxtaposed cans thus leaving an interstice between each group of adjoining sections of the abutting end seams, the combination with said cans of locking clips disposed one at the top and another at the bottom of said package and cooperating with only said sections of the end seams to rigidly lock said cans and clips against any movement relative to each other; each of said clips comprising a substantially vertical side wall disposed in a said interstice and in engagemeat with peripheral portions of the surrounding seam sections, said side wall merging at its inner end into a substantially flat panel and merging at its outer end into a lip extending radially outwardly and overlying the outer ends of said seam sections, a plurality of outer lugs spaced equidistantly around the periphery of said lip and projecting longitudinally and in substantially flat engagement with the interior surfaces of said end seams intermediate points at which said seams abut, and a corresponding number of inner lugs projecting outwardly and angularly from said panel at the inner end of said vertical side wall with the edges of the free ends of said inner lugs directed toward and in opposition to corresponding outer lugs and engaging beneath the inner ends of said projecting seams whereby said clips alone rigidly secure and lock said cans together in a unitary package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 266,577 Babcock O t, 24, 1 2

603,455 Pinney M y 3, 1 9 1,516,232 Kratzer Nov. 18, 1924 1,567,387 Rode Dec. 29, 1925 1,579,221 Lumbeck Apr. 6, 1926 1,800,109 Selig Apr. 7, 1931 2,090,477 Graham Aug. 17, 1937 2,135,341 Jackson Nov. 1, 1938 2,212,476 Kielberg Aug. 20, 1940 2,285,801 Burnet June 9, 1942 2,440,902 Lutey May 4, 1948 2,637,475 Gialanella May 5, 1953 2,646,911 Holmberg July 28, 1953 2,667,995 Bruce Feb. 2, 1954 2,702,641 Arthur Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 182,378 Great Britain "t -u-.." July 1922 

